Show Notes
Is Autism a superpower in the UFC? What was Vince's diagnosis journey? What are the benefits of learning martial arts for autistic people?
Vince The Anomaly was a bantamweight UFC fighter with 7 wins, fighting out of Los Angeles California, and born in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Vince works with Shane Fazen, the owner of a 3M+ subscriber YouTube channel called Fight Tips where he produces educational videos on MMA.
In this episode of the Thoughty Auti Podcast, Thomas Henley talks to ex-UFC fighter Vince The Anomaly about his experiences in and out of the cage, and how being a late-diagnosed Autistic impacted his professional career.
They kick off the episode talking about Vince's fighting career and how he rose up the ranks despite his starting age - Thomas talks about his experience as a top-performing Taekwondo athlete, and how the point-scoring system is a lot different from MMA.
Diagnosed this year (2022) Vince found out that his good friend in the UFC John Doomsday Howard was also pursuing a diagnosis. He recalls the difficulty of hiding his issues and mental health illness as a fighter and as a man. Following his retirement, he faced a difficult 6-month-long depressive period due to his lost persona as a fighter, but now relishes in the freedom retirement has given him.
Vince opens up about the disconnection and anxiety he felt in the education system, and how like Thomas, fighting was an outlet for the pain and issues he faced in daily life. Although he thrived in the fighting game, he also recalls how the disorder after a competition was the most difficult... shutdowns and meltdowns were all related to transitions and lack of routine.
Marketing and the social arena are irremovable components of a fighting career, and this is an area that Vince struggled with. Discipline, pattern-seeking, focus, and quick learning were all things that enhanced his ability as a fighter - Vince attributes many of these things to being Autistic.
They end by highlighting the positives of starting a combat sport, and the subtle ways in which fighting ability can enhance your confidence and feeling of safety in public spaces.
Vince's Links:-
Website - https://vincetheanomaly.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vincetheanomaly/
Song Of The Day (Listen Here) - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5UDIyN5TSYN4zMcRoQPrG8?si=9255ed3480d840b5
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Website - https://www.thomashenley.co.uk [https://www.thomashenley.co.uk/]
♫ THOUGHTY AUTI PODCAST - https://open.spotify.com/show/ [https://open.spotify.com/show/6vjXgCB7Q3FwtQ2YqPjnEV]6vjXgCB7Q3FwtQ2YqPjnEV [https://open.spotify.com/show/6vjXgCB7Q3FwtQ2YqPjnEV]
FOLLOW ME On Social Media ♥ -
☼ Facebook - Thomas Henley [https://www.facebook.com/thomashenleyuk/]
☼ Twitter - @thomashenleyuk [https://twitter.com/ThomasHenleyUK]
☼ Instagram - @thomashenleyUK [https://www.instagram.com/thomashenleyuk/]
More from Thoughty Auti - The Autism Podcast
Autistic host Thomas is joined by Ben Schatzel, a human behaviourist and disability labour reformist, to confront the harsh reality of employment for autistic adults — and why it keeps failing us (spoiler, it's not you).
Host Thomas Henley is joined by psychologist Laura Gwilt to explore the complexities of the manosphere — the digital world influencing millions of young men and autistic adults.
Dr. Margaret Price and Thomas Henley discuss divorce, parenthood, and family court through an autism-focused lens; a raw, vital talk on support, stigma, and systemic failure.Thomas's Links: https://linktr.ee/thomashenleyUKPegi’s Book: https://uk.jkp.com/collections/author-margaret-pegi-price-pid-204569Code HENLEY25 : https://neurodivergentinsights.com/neurodivergent-store/We discuss the challenges faced by families with autistic children in the context of family law. Pegi shares her personal journey as a single parent of an autistic child and critiques traditional legal frameworks that inadequately address the unique needs of these families. She advocates for customised legal solutions, crisis planning, and systemic changes to better support special needs families. The episode emphasises the need for specialised legal considerations and a cultural shift to foster understanding and support for children with autism.In this episode, we discuss:• The difference between typical and special needs family law: why the old playbook often falls short.• Court-approved parenting plans and how they often miss the mark for families with an autistic child.• Crisis planning lessons from COVID-19 school closures: what happens when support systems suddenly vanish.• Labelling and stigma: how institutional bias shows up in court and what it means for our kids.• The importance of individualised support, realistic respite care, and financial planning for special needs.• Raising awareness in law, policy, and everyday life: change happens when we all get informed.🎥 WATCH NEXT: https://youtu.be/lEs4sMH5OnM#thoughtyauti #thomashenley #autismpodcast 👽 Remember that Autism is a spectrum, and your experiences/opinions will likely differ from mine based on your background, traits, location, other diagnoses, personality, life experience, and much more. So PLEASE share your experiences and thoughts in the COMMENTS!➡️ Remember to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE for more content, and hit the notification button 🔔 to be notified of new podcasts ahead of the crowd!👾 JOIN the Discord Community - https://discord.com/invite/XMYbAd9u5D❗️IMPORTANT NOTE: I am NOT, and neither is my guest, a professional,l and you should consult a registered psychologist and doctor before taking any action📙 FREE Glossary For All The Autism Terms You Need - https://youtu.be/Z8FIdO1nzA8 🎧 Audiobook Adventure - https://youtu.be/GmQfmIlgjqc💫 My Autism Journey Documentary - https://youtu.be/j3Xox7vN2NM🚀 RECOMMENDATIONS:🎧 My Favourite Earphones - 1. https://amzn.to/3OfWrUW2. https://dbud.io/thoughtyautipodcast (20% OFF)🛁 Sensory Friendly Self-Care - https://amzn.to/3V2sUSm🎥 My YouTube Equipment - https://amzn.to/3OjsinW💪🏻 My Gym Equipment - https://amzn.to/4eKHHrY🧑🚀 Sensory Input and Fidgets - https://amzn.to/3ZbWRSx📚 Book Recommendations - https://amzn.to/40Ylx2a👓 Sensory Supports and Reduction - https://amzn.to/3CLV5i8PS: Any purchases made through these affiliate links will give me a small commission :)📲 My Socials:All Links: https://linktr.ee/thomashenleyukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomashenleyuk/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thomashenleyukDiscord: https://discord.com/invite/XMYbAd9u5DOSRS: Rubywizard11Website: https://www.thomashenley.co.ukEmail: [email protected]
New age spirituality brought us star seeds and indigo children, but are autistic people truly spiritual beings? Autistic athiest Thomas Henley talks to Emily Robyn Clark about the links between Autism and spirituality, diving deep into fringe cross-over groups within the Autistic communities online.
Romance, chemistry, gut feelings and communication; today we dive into the complexities of dating as an autistic adult. Thomas's Links: linktr.ee/thomashenleyUK Daniel's Insta: lnk.bio/nohandshakemusic Thomas produces weekly videos, livestreams and video versions of the podcast episodes you can view for free on YouTube. Join the 100+ members for only £0.99, support Thomas’ work, interact with him and receive all the perks! 🎵 Song Of The Day - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5UDIyN5TSYN4zMcRoQPrG8?si=9255ed3480d840b5 🗣️ My Socials and YouTube Channel - https://linktr.ee/thomashenleyUK 💻 My Amazon Store Recommendations (Sensory items, gym gear, YouTube set-up) - https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/thomashenleyuk